


EMULOUS

by orphan_account



Category: GOT7, JJ Project
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Alternate Universe - Racing, Dystopian, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Enemies to Lovers, Eventual Smut, M/M, Mind Link, Mind Manipulation, Mind Sex, Racing, Rivalry, Science Fiction, Slavery, Slaves, Smut, Superpowers
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-02-27
Updated: 2019-03-03
Packaged: 2019-11-06 09:51:03
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 9,979
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17937533
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: *Emulous: Seeking to emulate or imitate someone or something. Motivated by a spirit of rivalry.*2440His world was slavery, to answer to a masters whims. That was the way he was told it had to be, the role he'd always played.Jaebum had always hidden behind his place as a menial and his skills in craft racing. He'd known his whole life that his identity as an emulant meant he could never stop hiding. He knew that’s why Jinyoung hated him, because Jinyoung was the same and he was hiding too.





	1. Prologue

2440

— — — — —

_RUN_

— — — — —

Jeong Jae-myung raised his hand in a slow gentle knock. The bustle of the city was all he could hear and the roars of the night. It was cold out, they didn’t have much time and he knew that. A gentle knock was enough for his presence to be announced but not enough to be noticed by anyone nearby.

He did not want to be noticed on the dark streets of Seoul. There were many eyes for him avoid and the best way to do that was to stay calm, quiet and normal. The door opened slightly and he saw the eyes of the person behind it first. She recognized him instantly and knew that he was there to bring news. The woman at the door nodded to him and opened it wider, just wide enough to let him inside but not wide enough for prying eyes to see much of what was there.

He stepped in and carefully down the halls. The lights were mostly off. They hadn’t been staying there long but he knew that they couldn’t stay for another night. They had to find what happened to the other half of their group and they had to keep the child they protected safe.

"Did you find a place for him?" the woman in the room beyond spoke softly. He had gone out to speak to those they knew were on their side. They were low on options. There were many people they couldn’t trust and he’d been careful in speaking to those they knew they could. There wasn’t much more they could do. So much had already gone wrong and he was determined to make sure that the task ahead of him was complete. 

They may have already lost the second child but he would not allow the one in his care to be killed or stolen away. 

“There is only one place we can send him,” the man said, "but I know that you won't like it." She had never gotten along with the only household left who would help them. Many among their ranks thought the family had traded their identities for security and money. They’d made the right decision in the end as they were the only ones from the council left unexposed.

“You trust that family?" she asked him. He’d always trusted them even though he didn’t agree with them. They were the best chance the child had. The couldn’t stay with Jae-myung and Shyri, they both knew their days were numbered. They were too identifiable. They could only hope that they could find out what had happened to the rest before they were eventually caught.They hoped their friends were safe and the second child who was entrusted to them was also safe.

“I’d trust them with my own life and I will trust them with the boy’s life,” he replied. He knew the family in question would not only care for the boy, but they would train him. They would make him strong.

"They've agreed to take him as a menial," Jae-myung spoke softly, he knew she wouldn't like it but it was the only way. The boy couldn’t stand out. The best way to keep him safe was to keep him as one of the lowest, one of the overlooked and unseen. As a menial he’d be seen as a slave, a commodity, nothing special.

"Is this our only choice?" Shari asked him. He saw the child was sleeping soundly in his bed. The woman reached over to brush the hair out of the small boy’s face. There was no way he would understand why they would be leaving him in a strange place never to return, but the task of protecting him was theirs. The only way to really protect him was to keep him hidden where their enemies would never find him.

"No one would suspect that we'd hide him like this. He’s everything and they won’t search there,” the man said, "this is our only chance. You know they'll find us. It's best if when they do they don't find him or any trace of where he is.” He knew more than those words they both had to die before they were found. 

No one could know where they had hidden the boy. Their enemies would be able to strip their minds of the knowledge. It wasn’t safe for them to live with the knowledge.

"They know the truth," Shyri said, "how can you be sure he'll be safe there? What if they’re discovered? They’re so close to The Visionary and the seers. What if they see him?”

"You've done what you could to hide any trace of his powers," the man replied, "isn't it better that he find out about them from people who know the full weight of what he bears than being confused on his own? There isn’t another option, there isn’a a better option and you know that.” 

"I know," she responded. Her face was twisted with sadness and he knew why. They’d lost everything. "He's just... he's all I have left of my sister. This shadow war has been too much for my family..." She’d done all she could, they all had. They’d lost so many battles but all they could do was to prepare to win the war in the best way they knew how to.

“He’d our only hope," Jae-myung said, "our only hope of making sure the future is different. To beat them we need this plan.” He knew his words only told half the story. 

"I know," she stroked the child’s brow again,"we can move him at midnight, we must do it immediately. We have to go before I change my mind.” 

"I know," he responded.

"You're sure we can trust them?" she asked.

“I am sure, they'll keep him safe."

The hardest truth was knowing that their days were numbered and that they couldn't run and hide forever. When they were found it was best they were far away from him.

Jaebum had to be kept safe.


	2. The Track

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jinyoung steps out to race and his team ends up shaken by his masters actions.

The smells of the track were familiar, he felt that he knew them too well. He walked carefully among the other racers, they were known as whips on the track. Whips, those who drove the crafts which moved so fast they cracked through the air like the sound of a whip. Most were like him, most were slaves who drove for the profit of their masters. Most had no will of their own. They were there to win for the coffers of those who enslaved them.

There were screams, a roar, like a wall of sound rushing towards them as the whips began to enter the arena which held the large track. Jinyoung felt the nervous tension and energy that ignited the air before each race began. It was familiar, it was all a part of him and he knew it all so well.

The roar of the crowd was for him. He was a champion, a powerful competitor and one who had won many races. They knew his name, they watched him and spoke of him. He understood that well.

"Stay focused." 

Hyunwoo walked next to him and instructed him. He was larger than Jinyoung, his narrow face and small eyes were always attentive to everything around him. He was strong and he was Jinyoung’s teammate, he had been for years. The hovercrafts they operated took too pilots, the stakes were higher than single races because the speed was faster. It would take both of them at the top of their game to control the craft and to win the race ahead.

"I am always focused," Jinyoung responded. He’d started at the track young, barely thirteen. He’d been small when his master decided to punish him by entering him as a single craft racer. It was akin to a death sentence at that age, the other drivers had looked at him like they wanted to eat him alive. He had been terrified, absolutely terrified. He'd unexpectedly won that first race and showed his master his true worth in a shocking twist of fate.

His owner had invested a lot in him and paired Jinyoung with his best whip to learn and share a craft. A double craft race was with more than a single craft race. The best teams were the most valuable whips on the track. He'd been driving with Hyunwoo for five years and in that time they had come a long way. Their skill levels were once mismatched, but they became the track favorites as they grew together and won together.

He was used to the crowd screaming for him. He was used to the people’s eyes on him. It was a place he felt comfortable. The noise made him feel safe.

"Have you looked at the list of our competitors?" Hyunwoo asked him. 

"No," Jinyoung replied. “There’s no point.” He didn’t like to look. It was just a distraction and he couldn’t afford distractions at the speed they would be flying at. He couldn’t afford to overthink his moves. He worked best when he was improvising, when he was thrown into the mix and forced to make snap decisions at a breakneck pace.

"Yes there is kid," Hyunwoo responded, he had called Jinyoung kid since the beginning. He’d always tried to impart lessons and wisdom from his own experience. Things had changed, they’re experiences grew together. Jinyoung knew he was capable of making his own decisions.

"I don't care about them," Jinyoung expressed, “we have to do our job regardless of whose against us.” 

"Fine I'll worry about the other drivers then," Hyunwoo said, "you focus on winning the hearts of everyone in the arena Junior." He sighed in response, he’d always hated that nickname. It was given to him by the audience because he won so young. He'd become a popular driver unintentionally. The announcers all wanted interviews with him because of his popularity and his owner invested a lot in getting his image all over the track. 

"I do pay attention," Jinyoung defended himself, "enough to know the accident in last weeks race wasn't and accident."

"You don't have to be paying attention to know that Jinyoung," Hyunwoo responded.

Jinyoung rolled his eyes. They were an odd pair on the track. Both had been menials since they were kids, both had entirely different approaches to the races. Hyunwoo analyzed everything while Jinyoung preferred to feel each race out. He would listen to the undercurrent in the room and feel the way everyone was on edge. He could feel the emotion in how the other drivers would move and he responded to that emotion.

His first win was considered dumb luck, but he knew it was more than that. He loved racing, even if it was something he only did because of his master forced him too. He felt alive on the track, like a part of him clicked into place when he was flying at death defying speeds. Even if he did earn his freedom he was sure he would love to keep racing.

They made it to where their craft was placed at the starting line waiting for them. It was powered up by their technical specialist and warming up for the race ahead. Jinyoung and Hyunwoo worked on it themselves. They outfitted it to respond to the challenges they knew they would face. Hyunwoo was better at working on the craft itself, Jinyoung was better at driving. He had tried hard when he was younger to get better at the mechanics but it wasn’t something that came naturally to him. He had little patience for things that didn’t come naturally.

"Hyung we're ready for you," BamBam said, he crawled out from under the craft, "I was just giving it a final check." BamBam was on their technical team, he helped out with checking over all the levels of the craft before a race. He was small, and good at getting around the machinery. Jinyoung was always grateful to him for taking care of them. He’d been able to catch when heating levels were off and fix things right before races.

"Thank you BamBam," Jinyoung responded. BamBam held out his communicator and handed the second one to Hyunwoo. Every racer had a caller who watched over them. Someone who could be their eyes and who could tell them what to expect on each round. Someone to give them information about what was going on around them, who could warn them about accidents or obstructions. They had a limited view of what they could see. It was impossible to see everything going on through their windows and there were many variables on the track.

He looked up from the craft towards the starting line. They would break from the middle of the pack which was a place he was comfortable. He looked around towards the other crafts and unintentionally his eyes landed on another racer. He sighed as their eyes met and it was too late to look away and pretend he hadn’t seen him.

The other whip smirked. Jinyoung knew if he had looked at the list of entries he would have known this racer was against him. He didn’t really need the list of entries to tell him that the other whip would be there. He seemed to be at every race Jinyoung entered without fail.

Im Jaebum...

Jinyoung always thought of him as pretty to look at, yet a horrible person beneath his beautiful exterior. He was always pretty with perfect sharp catlike eyes. All sharp features that formed a perfect face and his expression of confidence and collectedness drew everyone in. Jinyoung hated him. He hated him from the time they were both overconfident kids who would spend all their time fighting to beat one another. The difference between them was that Jaebum was a cheater.

Most whips cheated occasionally, usually things were rigged by their masters and usually in singles. Jaebum denied that he ever did cheat and that irked Jinyoung. He would have considered Jaebum a better person if he’d just admitted what he’d done.

Jaebum started walking towards him and Jinyoung wished he could avoid the encounter entirely. There was no way to avoid it so he glared at Jaebum head on. All they could do was throw words at each other. Fighting was prohibited but Jinyoung doubted Jaebum would ever try to start a fight. He preferred to psych his competition out with words.

"Well fancy facing you down again Junior," Jaebum said. Jinyoung glared harder, he hated the nickname the announcers at the track had given him and Jaebum knew that. They both knew everything about each other. 

"Don't talk to me," Jinyoung responded, "go back to your adoring fans, I’m sure they miss you.” Jaebum was often playing the crowd. With his looks and charisma he got attention even though Jaebum didn’t have nearly as many wins as Jinyoung.

Jinyoung got irritated with how much the other boy pushed for attention. Jinyoung himself didn’t want attention just for looks or selling a fantasy to the crowed. He wanted to win with his own strength and he wanted to survive each race. The races were dangerous, and every time he was at the track there was one someone didn't make it. He couldn't afford to be one of those people who didn’t get to race again.

Jaebum smiled at him. He always smiled and Jinyoung hated it. "Come on Jinyoung, after all this time don't you think we could try and put the past behind us." Jinyoung bristled, he had no time to try and forgive people. The people around the track were dangerous, Jaebum was no exception. His words right before the race were not offered with sincerity. They were meant to mess with his head.

"See you on the track Jaebum," Jinyoung said coldly. He wanted their conversation to end. Jaebum shook his head but Jinyoung knew he would probably have some choice words in response. It was always that way. He turned back to look at Jaebum with a glare. He saw a smirk in the other’s eyes. It was infuriating. 

"You will see me," Jaebum said in response, "you'll see the back of my craft the whole time." Jinyoung glared deeper as Jaebum turned away.

Jinyoung ignored him. He didn't want the petty rivalry he had with Jaebum, he’d never wanted it. They’d been friends once when they were younger. But it wasn’t his fault that changed, things tended to turn sour between competitors when one crashed into the other on purpose. 

He remembered his owners had issued an appeal that was promptly rejected because Jaebum was owned by the Wang family. Jaebum could get away with anything and no one could do anything about it. Jinyoung hated him for what had happened that day. He taunted Jinyoung most days, he used his nickname in condescension. 

Jinyoung was better than him, his win ratio was higher than Jaebum's. He was happy everytime he got a win and everytime he showed he was the best on the track. He knew he had what it took to be the best whip in history. 

"Don't let him rattle you," Hyunwoo approached him.

"He didn't," Jinyoung responded coldly. He was better than that. He'd faced worse than Jaebum could throw against him. He'd take Jaebum seeking a peaceful jab over some of the other whips. Things could get ugly before a race and he'd had some close calls with people looking for fights.

It was an ugly business, illegal and underground. It wasn't sanctioned by the government but apparently everything was in such disarray that those in charge looked the other way. Not that he cared much what the government had to say. They allowed slavery, allowed children to be sold as menials. It didn’t matter what they considered illegal. His life was a different kind of game. If he won enough races he could earn his freedom then after if he kept racing he could earn money. He didn’t care how illegal it was, because it was his only way out.

If he earned enough money as a free man he could use the money to buy his friends and set them free. That was his whole life focus. When he was a child he realized that his skills were his way out. His skills were the way he could protect Hyunwoo, Mark and BamBam. He loved the track but more than loved it, he needed it.

"Whips to your crafts." 

Jinyoung didn't need to be told twice before he moved up and climbed into his seat. It was always quick in his mind, there was a buzz in the air like electricity filling him. He wanted to drive, to put his energy forward towards the end goal. He was ready to steer, to make snap decisions and to fly along the route in front of him. He was antsy as he reached forward to grip steering. He took a deep breath.

"Focus," Hyunwoo spoke softly.

"I'm pretty sure at this point you're just reminding yourself," Jinyoung quipped. He wasn't in a good mood, he never was once the engines buzz filled his ears. He just wanted it to begin, he hated the feeling of being ready but not able to make a move just yet.

"Syncing up," Hyunwoo informed him. The trick with two drivers was that they needed to sync everything. Their controls, their thoughts, their plans. They had to be one, and everything they did had to be matched. They would move the craft together, and win together. He and Hyunwoo had been doing it a long time but they still had occasional difficulties being on the same page. Hyunwoo was cautious, Jinyoung was rash. They balanced eat other by being opposites. 

"We're going to win today," Jinyoung said confidently. He was fired up by Jaebum’s words and ready to go.

"Don't get to cocky," he heard Mark's voice in his ears. He smiled at the sound of Mark’s voice. Mark was their caller, also a menial. He was good at spotting things and good at keeping Jinyoung’s attitude in check. 

"I'm not," Jinyoung responded as he gripped the steering. He didn’t think of himself as cocky, just confident. He knew how good he was, he knew how the race would go.

The countdown began.

Down from ten. He heard the sounds of engines roaring as eager driver sought to scare the younger ones into a false start by revving their engines. Jinyoung had fallen for it once and gotten punished severely for it. His master didn’t take kindly to mistakes

He knew how to time the start just as the clock reached it’s base. Hyunwoo knew as well.

5

4

3

Jinyoung breathed deep.

2

1

They hit their accelerators in sync and their craft leaped off the starting line with intense power. Jinyoung smirked, they had made a perfect break onto the track.

“NICE ONE!” Mark shouted into his comm. There was an excitement in his voice. He always cheered them on as well as instructed them on the conditions around them.

Jinyoung moved his steering in time with the track. He pushed forward while rounding turns, and maneuvering to avoid other drivers. They were near the first position and he liked to push for it early and hold it long. Their craft wasn’t perfect but it could hold their high speeds well. 

“Forward thrusters,” Hyunwoo announced his configurations. As second driver he would control the finer details, Jinyoung would control how they moved, and how fast they went. Hyunwoo would help but he also monitored the systems. There had been a time Jinyoung was supposed to call those commands but he was always better at quickly changing up their approach. That was why he’d become the lead driver.

“You’re in the lead,” Mark told him, he already knew he’d pulled ahead. He liked getting the lead and holding it better than fighting his way through the pack.

“That turn is sharp,” Jinyoung warned Hyunwoo, they would both need to move together. They had to steer in time with their speed and the shape of the track.

“You got incoming,” Mark said, “shredder on your left! Watch your left.” The problem with the crafts were the blind spots which were hard to overcome. Other drivers would hide in blind spots and wait for an opportunity to catch them off guard. That’s why they had Mark watching for them. He was as much a part of the team as either of them, eh was their eyes.

Jinyoung moved his hands and feet together as he made his plan. 

“Let’s drift them out,” Jinyoung said confidently with a smirk. He knew exactly how to scare the other craft drivers into backing off.

“Got it,” Hyunwoo said as they began the next turn they went into it drifting to their left to scare their competitors. They heard breaks and engines squealing as the shredder was forced to slow down to avoid a collision. Jinyoung smirked again as he threw the craft into the turn and accelerated at full speed to get them back on track.

“Nice one!” Mark shouted. He saw the finish line ahead and leaned carefully as they prepared to fly over it. He could hear the roar of the crowd and the sound of the announcer. He felt alive with the noise, the adrenaline, the power.

“LAP 2!” The announcer’s voice echoed as they crossed and Jinyoung pushed his craft faster. He rounded a turn and saw a craft on the side of the track. The reason was obviously engine burnout, which likely meant sabotage. 

“You have 2 tailers,” Mark informed him and Jinyoung pushed harder.

“Let’s keep our turns tight,” Jinyoung said. He would ride the track as close as possible to avoid being passed inside. It was much more difficult for drivers to pass on the outside than on the inside.

“Careful with the boundary,” Hyunwoo added. Jinyoung sighed at the others words. It had been one time but his teammate always brought it up. He’d never forgotten what it felt like to be caught in the boundary and it was painful to the point that he was sure he wouldn’t make that mistake ever again.

He had to be precise to avoid it and he had the skills to hold close and tight on each turn. His arms started to hurt, the steering and the high speeds were a hell of a combo.

“There was a crash behind you,” Mark said, “around the third turn. When you start the third lap be careful, you won’t see it coming until you’re around the turn. Please be careful.”

His heart pounded. He loved the exhilaration of the races. He hated the reality of how badly crashes could be. In doubles crashes were almost always fatal. The bigger crafts were built to fly faster, any mistake could mean a crash. 

“Thanks Mark,” Jinyoung said. Mark wasn’t just invested in their wins, he protected them. 

Jinyoung had been racing for years but his muscles still got tired on the last two laps. It was intense work with legs pushing pedals and his arms burning gripping the controls. He welcomed the feeling because it felt like he was defying death with his own strength. Like the only thing that he could do of his own free will, despite driving for the profits of those who owned him.

The engine shuddered at how hard he was pushing it to move faster. “Jinyoung our heat levels are getting up there,” Hyunwoo said. That was something he’d been trying to fix between races was how their craft couldn’t last as long as he wished it could at the highest speeds. If their craft was at risk of overheating they couldn’t keep up the speed Jinyoung wanted to push for the entire race. He would have to back off eventually.

“Okay,” Jinyoung backed off on his acceleration. They had the momentum they needed, he just had to maintain it heading into the third lap.

“I’m going to use our cooling system,” Hyunwoo announced.

“No you can’t,” Jinyoung argued, it would slow them down and he didn’t want to slow. He wanted to break the track record. He wanted to win with everything he had. He wanted to do more than just win.

“Jinyoung!” Hyunwoo protested.

“Just let me maintain,” Jinyoung snapped at him. They were entering the third lap and he knew they’d lose momentum getting around the crash. They would have to cool off before he accelerated again but he wanted to time it around the crash so he was slowing while everyone else was.

“LAP 3!”

He tuned into the spike in the roar of the crowds, Jinyoung tuned it out again. He needed to be perfectly focused on the upcoming third turn and getting around the crash. He moved carefully as he went around the second and saw the turn in their sights.

“Levels are at 80%!” Hyunwoo warned. They had a monitor that measured up to 100 and as soon as it hit 100 they would be at risk of their engine blowing. Hyunwoo liked to stay below 70 but Jinyoung would often push higher. 

“Def’s on your tail!” Mark shouted in his ears.

“Don’t tell him that!” Hyunwoo whined in response. Jinyoung knew Hyunwoo worried about his competitive side, “85 I’m cooling before we blow the engine.” Jinyoung couldn’t have that, he wanted to keep their momentum just a bit longer.

“Just one more turn!” Jinyoung shouted at him. He loved the feeling, the drag and adrenaline. Everything flowed through him at once as he faced down the third turn and began to put his plan in action.

_Jinyoung! Stop!_

“What?” Jinyoung asked. He thought he heard someone talking and he was momentarily distracted by the sounds in his mind.

“95!” Hyunwoo shouted as Jinyoung saw the crash that Mark had warned them about.

“Now!” Jinyoung commanded and he felt the force hard as their craft began to slow and he maneuvered it with Hyunwoo around the crash. He watched the engine heat drop as his speed dropped. He was anxious as he wanted to accelerate about but they needed to cool down just a second more and they needed to get around the crash entirely before they sped up.

“Almost through,” Hyunwoo said. He moved through the turn their engines went green. Jinyoung smiled as he prepared to get back on track.

“GUYS YOU’RE ABOUT TO BE PASSED I TOLD YOU DEF WAS ON YOUR TAIL!” Mark shouted at them. Jinyoung had believed it wasn’t a big deal, everyone had to slow around the crash. That was why he’d timed their cooling around the crash. He hit his accelerator in a split second his engine jumped. He saw another craft moving alongside him and in seconds the craft pushed ahead of them and Jinyoung knew exactly who it was.

His blood boiled as he realized Jaebum must not have slowed on the turn while going around the crash. It was a risky move but Jaebum was cray enough to try it just to get a win. Jinyoung felt frustrated that his own overheating issues cost him the lead. “Damn it!” He shouted loudly.

“Keep your head level!” Hyunwoo said, “it’s not over yet!” It wasn’t over yet and Jinyoung was angry. He would find a way and he would finish the race ahead. He pushed hard as he edged up on Jaebum’s craft. The other clearly was aware and swerved to prevent their pass. He pushed it, he needed to find a way through even if it as dangerous. He saw his opening and it was crazy but it was their best chance.

“Right side,” Jinyoung declared, Jaebum had a habit of drifting at turns. Jinyoung always assumed it was a way of cooling his engine as they went. He’d analyzed enough to know they would get through on the last turn.

“The opening won’t be large enough,” Hyunwoo declared. “we won’t be able to maintain the momentum, that’s a good way to get us into a crash you idiot!” Jinyoung shook his head.

“No,” Jinyoung said, “we can handle it.” He knew his craft well, he knew it would make it. The engines were cool enough and he could hold the steering long enough to make the pass. The g-forces would be intense but he had felt them so many times. He knew that he was strong enough.

“I am not letting you risk our lives because of your petty rivalry,” Hyunwoo shouted at him. Jinyoung wasn’t taking no for an answer as he began to direct the craft towards the right.

“Jinyoung’s right they’ll drift far enough and the opening will be your only chance,” Mark said. Jinyoung smirked, Mark believed in him at least.

“You’re both insane!” Hyunwoo shouted at them.

“This is a winner takes all race,” Jinyoung declared, “I’m not going home empty handed.” It was also their last race of the day. They’d won their first and he wasn’t going to lose the second. The turn was in front of them and he knew he’d have the opening. He pushed his craft harder.

“Fuck,” Hyunwoo followed his lead because if they didn’t work together they would be in trouble. Jinyoung tended to get his way because Hyunwoo gave in rather than fighting him for control. They pushed and right as Jaebum drifted they accelerated forward. Their craft shook and shuddered from how hard Jinyoung was pushing it.

Gravity pulled hard at them and it took all the strength he had to hold the steering in place. Jinyoung grunted as he threw all his weight into it. He could hear Hyunwoo breathing loudly as he held as well. Jinyoung kept acceleration increasing and felt a hint of fear as he saw how close they were to the boundary. His heart pounded at the realization of how easily it would be to mess it up. He had to keep accurate.

“Come on,” Mark shouted at them. Jinyoung didn’t look away from his route. He wanted so badly to look and see if they were passing but he knew his total focus had to be on the turn. It started to tear into his head, pain as he pushed and as he came out from the turn he pushed his speed to maximum. His head hurt, his eyes hurt. Everything was beginning to hurt but they came out and the forces eased up.

“Woooooooo!” Mark shouted into the comm. The roars of the crowd increased. His ears burned, his head pounded but the way to the finish was clear. He didn’t stop accelerating as they crossed the finish line. He didn’t stop pushing until they were well past it. An exclamation on their race, a show of strength.

“YES!” He shouted as they began to slow their craft. Sweat coated his body and everything was pounding. He leaned back with a satisfied smile and breathed deep in relief.

“We did it,” he declared as they pulled around and back towards their pit. Their team would work on maintenance and cooling the craft completely. 

“You crazy bastard,” Hyunwoo was shaking his head as he lightly tapped the back of Jinyoung’s own head. Jinyoung just smiled lazily at him. He looked exhausted just like Jinyoung felt. “One day you’ll be the death of me.”

“We’re good,” Jinyoung declared. He was feeling a bit delirious as she was coming down from the high of the win.

“So much for not being cocky you idiot,” Mark said in his ear. Jinyoung just smiled in response. He knew he could tone it down but he didn’t see a reason to. They were going to become the best in the nation if they kept up their win streak. He believed they could do it.

“You goaded him on,” Hyunwoo whined and he could hear Mark laugh on the other end. They stopped and he saw BamBam and their team rushing the craft. They opened it and stepped out. Jinyoung slumped against the side of the craft as if he was seeking to have it hold him up.

The crowds were screaming so Jinyoung lifted his hand to wave to them and the cameras were on him in an instant. Hyunwoo came alongside him and they grasped hands and lifted them in a show of team strength. The results were on the board. They’d broken the record of the track just as he wanted to, he was satisfied with their win despite their struggles.

He smirked and searched for his rival. His eyes caught Jaebum’s across the track. The other was glaring and Jinyoung winked at him before Hyunwoo got his attention again.

“Come on,” Hyunwoo said, “you’re shaking you idiot, we need to get you to recovery before the victory ceremony.” He didn’t care about the repercussions and the pain, he always felt so good winning. He’d take the risks everytime and that was why he was the best.

—————

Mark sat by Jinyoung’s side as he slept soundly in his pod. He always was tired out off the rush of a race and the damage that was done to his body. Mark did often worry about him and how badly he took it each time. It was like a high he’d come down from and end up worse off than ever. He’d done two races that day, the earlier one had been a win as well but the later one was more tense. It always was that way since Jinyoung didn’t like losing.

The tracks had recovery rooms for the whips, something instituted early on in their conception. It was discovered the human body could only take so much of g-force at a time and good whips were considered valuable property. It took a few dying from the agony of being unable to recover from how fast their bodies were forced to go. The result was that the owners invested in the health centers at tracks and many different recovery options were explored before the best one was discovered. The pods emitted light waves that promoted cellular regeneration and restoration. A few hours in the pods and each whip would recover completely from the stress of the race.

Hyunwoo was awake laying in his own pod looking over to Jinyoung with worry in his eyes. They both worried often. The younger boy was always driving them both a bit crazy. Mark propped his feet up and curled into himself. He didn’t like worrying, Jinyoung was very good but he’d seen very good drivers get into trouble many times.

Every race worried him. He worked to be the best he could be. He knew that his role of watching out for Jinyoung and Hyunwoo was just as important as the role BamBam had in keeping their craft in top condition. The team all together could keep each other alive. He always worried about Jinyoung’s recklessness, but he worried more about his own abilities. He wanted to be better at calling, better at helping during the race to spot problems. He blamed himself for every time the boys weren’t prepared for the things ahead of them.

There was another race running, he could hear the sounds if the engines roaring from deep below ground where they were and the hum of the crowds screaming. For such an illegal activity it was much noisier than it had any right to be. He often wondered how it went unnoticed as it did. It never had made any sense to him.

The crowd roar got louder which meant the race had ended and a winner had triumphed. It was a long day for BamBam too, he worked with their owners pit team throughout the whole day. Their owner had whips and crafts in singles as well as doubles. He almost had every race covered with a single whip or a double team. Jinyoung and Hyunwoo was the biggest cash earners from their estate due to winning the highest steaks races.

They always raced twice as well. Not every team could handle two races but they spaced them out correctly. They did one early in the morning, recovered for a few hours then did a second one in the afternoon. Their races had a high attendance and a high rate of betting which was why they walked away with so much profit. The winnings themselves were high but there were other ways to earn around the track.

He heard heavy footsteps he knew well coming down towards their room. Their owner Zhou Bo was coming to check in, the sound always brought a chill up Mark’s spine. He hated that man so much and hated the threats that man held over all their heads. Because he owned them he could do anything to them and there was nothing they could do to resist him.

The older man entered. His eyes met Mark’s and Mark got out of his seat to kneel in reverence. He would get yelled at if he didn’t since he was the only one who could. He got back up when he was done.

“Get him ready,” Zhou said motioning to Jinyoung, “I want him driving in the singles race 20 minutes from now.” Mark’s heart skipped a beat at the order.

“What?” Mark couldn’t believe what he was hearing. It was crazy to expect a whip to be back on the track within 40 minutes of a race. His first thought was Zhou was punishing Jinyoung for something, but he couldn’t be sure.

“Are you deaf or something?” Zhou shouted at him, “he’s going into the next race.”

“But sir,” Mark protested. Jinyoung wasn’t even stirring at the noise of their master shouting at them. He was exhausted and his body couldn’t take a race. Mark had to stop it. He heard a pod open and saw Hyunwoo getting up out of it. Mark wanted to close him back inside. Both the boys needed to rest and Zhou needed to see that he couldn’t interfere with that.

“You cannot enter him in the next race,” Hyunwoo protested, “he needs the recovery time, he was shaking so badly after the race, and he hasn’t done singles in a long time. Please don’t order him to do this!” Mark wanted to cry at the thought that this was even in question. It wasn’t fair.

“It’s low steaks,” Zhou declared, “we don’t need to win to churn a profit, just a driver on the track.” That meant Zhou had made some sort of bet and that bet probably involved Jinyoung.

“You know how he is,” Hyunwoo argued, “he’ll push himself and what good is a broken down whip to you? You would really risk his life for your own ego?” 

“He’ll do just fine,” the owner said, “get him up now.” Mark’s heart pounded, he didn’t want this to happen. He looked at Hyunwoo who looked furious at the command and he took an action Hyunwoo had told him never to take.

“Please,” Mark got back on his knees to beg, “please just let him rest. Please don’t make him do this.” Jinyoung had come in shaking, he was smaller than Hyunwoo, the effects of the race were always more visible on him. His body couldn’t take more, he could end up dead. Mark didn’t want to lose his friend.

“I don’t like to repeat myself,” Zhou said lowly, threatening. Mark knew exactly what threat he had over him but he wouldn’t stop begging for Jinyoung’s life. He would trade everything away to keep his friends alive.

“Send me instead,” Hyunwoo suddenly asked. Mark was frightened, even if it wasn’t visible he knew Hyunwoo was tired too. He did the secondary systems of the craft but it still took its toll. Neither of the boys should be racing again that day. Mark knew it and he knew Zhou knew it. Their owner was angry about something, he would never ask his whips to do something so insane without a reason. Someone had goaded him into it.

“Fine,” Zhou said, “you will go in Hyunwoo. Get up there and start prepping immediately. You better get at least third for the trouble you’ve caused or there will be consequences.” He turned to leave. Once he was gone Mark let out a breath. He wanted to fight more for Hyunwoo but there was no changing it after he’d volunteered.

“Hyung,” Mark was shaking from the fear as he looked up the person he loved. 

“Don’t ever beg Mark,” Hyunwoo chided him, “it just gives him more power over you. You should know by now.” Hyunwoo reached down to help Mark up and pulled him into his arms. Mark nodded against him, he knew well what begging meant. The only reason he wasn’t sent to bring profit in brothels is because Jinyoung had demanded him as a caller. He knew what Zhou wanted from him and it was a nightmare that frightened him each day.

“You cannot go out there,” Mark said softly and he cried against Hyunwoo’s chest. He was scared for his life.

“I have to,” Hyunwoo responded, “we don’t have a choice.” He pulled away and put a hand to Mark’s face. “Stay with him,” he said softly.

“No,” Mark argued, “I’ll send BamBam down. You need a caller, I’m going to stay with you.” He didn’t trust the other teams callers to protect his friend, he would do it himself. Hyunwoo nodded. Mark knew he was scared too and that’s why he wasn’t arguing with him. Hyunwoo had always taken care of them, since they were all small but sometimes he needed to be cared for as well. Mark saw that more than anyone.

Hyunwoo kissed the top of his head before letting him go to head out of the healing room. Mark walked back to where Jinyoung was sleeping soundly to check on him before he would leave as well. Nothing could wake him up when he was out like he was and he hoped Jinyoung would stay like that till they were all back. Mark touched the glass and turned away. He had to get up to help. He felt the burden heavy on his shoulders but he would do all he could to keep Hyunwoo alive.

—————

Jinyoung stirred, his body felt so warm and refreshed. It was easy to feel better with the healing waves provided by the pod. They took time but he felt the effects like a gentle caress washing over his body. He was still weary but that was normal after what he’d been though. He’d have a week to prepare for the next race and after the pods that week was a good amount of time to recover.

“Mark,” he mumbled for his friend he knew would be there, “what time is it? Mark?” He didn’t get a response he opened his eyes and turned towards where his friend usually sat. No one was there. That was odd. “Hyunwoo?” He turned back toward the other pod and saw it was opened. Hyunwoo wasn’t there either. He was confused and his heart raced slightly from the feeling of waking from a deep sleep.

It wasn’t normal for him to ever be alone there, the boys always woke him up before going up somewhere. He groaned his arms felt heavy but he was partially recovered. He pushed the release button on his pod and climbed out from it. He walked and picked up his race jacket and pulled it over himself for warmth. It was cold as the evening began to fall and he’d never liked the cold. He walked up the stairs and out, the guards glanced at him but he had free reign to roam at the track. It wasn’t like he could run if he wanted to.

He walked through the halls towards where the whips would often go after recovery to eat. That was where he was sure he would find his friends. He was still tired but he felt much better than he had immediately after the race. He knew he needed more time in the pods before their team headed back to the estates. He just wanted to make sure his friends were okay then he would return.

“Park,” he heard a familiar voice. He didn’t turn and kept walking as if he didn’t hear it. He didn’t need to deal with other whips, they often were looking for fights and he didn’t want a fight. A lot of whips had it out for him for how many times he’d won against them. He knew it wasn’t the best idea for him to be out walking alone. There were more guards around after several incidents had taken place but he still didn’t normally take chances.

“Ballsy move on that turn,” the person who’d called after him wouldn’t stop following, “you got Def good with that one.” He kept trying to ignore him as if he didn’t hear him at all. He felt a hand on his shoulder and he was spun around which was disorienting since he still wasn’t fully recovered.

“You listen to me when I am talking to you!” The other whip was Ji Soo, he wasn’t one who usually left Jinyoung alone. He liked talking down to Jinyoung, taunting him in the worst ways. Jinyoung tried to pretend he didn’t exist.

“My apologies,” Jinyoung responded, “I am sorry I didn’t hear you, I have business to attend.” He was about to turn when Ji Soo backed him into a wall as if he weighed nothing. Jinyoung pushed against him but the effort was weak. Ji Soo likely knew he wasn’t recovered yet. There was no way he could be given how much time had passed since the race. The other could make him hurt easily and Jinyoung couldn’t properly defend himself.

“You’re below me menial,” Ji Soo hissed at him, “I could own you if I wanted to.” Ji Soo’s superiority was that he was a free man. He made sure to remind everyone that he’d won his freedom, that he was there of his own free will and every penny he earned he pocketed himself. Jinyoung glared at him. Ji Soo was what he wanted to be, but he’d never lord that over another.

“You couldn’t afford to own me,” Jinyoung snapped before he could stop himself. He knew better than to anger the whip in front of him but he was on edge from the race and reality that he didn’t know where his friends were.

Ji Soo raised his fist and Jinyoung flinched but he wasn’t hit. Ji Soo pushed him back against the wall then kept walking back the way Jinyoung came. Jinyoung sighed in relief. He had to find his friends, he was likely to be scolded by Hyunwoo for walking alone but at least he hadn’t been hit.

He moved to keep walking when he saw Jaebum at the end of the hall watching him, his eyes curious. Jinyoung paused for a moment at how strange his expression as but Jinyoung didn’t want to end up in a confrontation with his rival. He quickly turned away and kept walking towards his destination. He didn’t want any more confrontation with whips who thought they were better than he was. His track record was proven well enough that he didn’t feel a need to defend it off track.

He made it to the main room where the others whips eating and saw a race on screen, he could hear the sounds of it above. There were lots of guards there to prevent fights from taking place. His eyes scanned searching for Hyunwoo and Mark, he didn’t see them in any of the usual spots or anywhere else.

Everything felt odd, he knew he should go back to the pods and stay until they came back. His body still needed the recovery time and he wouldn’t get it at home. He stumbled a bit and walked back the way he came. He wasn’t feeling too great overall. The amount of force he had taken was starting to really set in the more he walked. Two races always felt like a lot and there was a time he wished they could cut it back. He stumbled back down the hall. It was dangerous to be out unprotected and weak. He moved careful and stumbled along back the way he came.

He made it back to the room and laid in the pod his head was spinning as he shut it. The warm healing waves began to surround him again and calm his body. He felt dizzy and the feeling of the pod was something he welcomed. He knew that Hyunwoo would likely be feeling similar so it was puzzling that he wasn’t in his own pod. He didn’t know where Mark was either, he was always there.

Jinyoung worried. He didn’t like that they had gone somewhere without telling him. He worried and it frightened him to be without them. He was too antsy to lay around for long waiting. He didn’t care how his body felt when he emotionally felt like something was wrong.

He got up again and left the room. This time he was determined to find his master and see if Zhou had any information as to where they were. He was sure that whatever reason they had for being gone, Zhou was responsible. The owners center was accessible by elevator. It was a quick way for owners to check on the whips and get back to betting and rearranging the races they entered their drivers into. Zhou had made his fortune on the races, he was once a whip himself. He was a horrible owner despite his past at the tracks.

When Jinyoung was 13 he’d stood up for Mark being mistreated and the result was Zhou sending him to the races. He’d never forget how Mark cried and begged for the punishment to be reversed while Hyunwoo took him to the crafts and began to try and teach him all he could. Hyunwoo was always jumping into action to help when he knew the punishment wouldn’t be reversed. Hyunwoo had looked after them a long time. 

Jinyoung didn’t remember a time before being owned by Shou. He was apparently bought at an auction when he was tiny for a small price. He’d been considered sickly, like he wasn’t going to make it but Zhou risked it for him. Owners liked to buy small children because they cost so much less and they were malleable. They easily grew in fear of the consequences of resisting.

Hyunwoo, Mark and BamBam were the same, bought very young for very little. They took care of each other while they tried to stay in the good graces of their master who held their survival in his hands. Jinyoung was able to rectify own mistakes as a child by becoming a winner. If there was one language that their master spoke it was winning. He respected Jinyoung even if he liked to punish him for every mistake. 

Jinyoung had gained a reputation at the track for his wins and Zhou was proud to be his owner. It was dangerous to have so many eyes on him at all times but at other times it was an advantage. He knew that if he didn’t win his life would become worth next to nothing, his future would be somewhere terrible trying to turn a profit for his master. As risky as it was, there were much worse places to be than the tracks.

The elevator made it to the top and he stepped out. There was a commotion in the room, as everyone’s eyes seemed fixated on the screens watching the race. Horrified expressions were worn all around. Another driver had crashed, it happened in almost every race. It was sad but it was nothing new to him. He’d crashed several times in his short career while driving singles. The crash that had happened was in a singles race, the risk of it being grave was far less than in a double race.

Jinyoung spotted Zhou at one of the tables a troubled look on his face. It must have been a bad crash to move him to any sort of saddened expression. Jinyoung stumbled a bit, he felt dizzy as he new he wasn’t where he should be.

“Master,” Jinyoung addressed him with a bow of the head. Due to his status as a top whip he no longer had to kneel when he was at the track. He wasn’t sure how it completely worked but he accepted it.

“Boy,” his master looked upset the moment he saw him, “you’re not ever supposed to come up here unless I call.” He looked around and softened his expression but Jinyoung knew it was all acting, “you really should be back in your pod, you look awful. Go back now and rest.” He didn’t care about Jinyoung, he was keeping up appearances because others were watching them.

All eyes were always on him when he entered a room. He was told his presence was distinct and that others were drawn to him but he didn’t care for what he was told. He’d only ever wanted to get on top for the promise of freedom, not for glory or short lived fame. Zhou was at least reasonable enough to offer freedom if he earned enough. 

“I woke up and Hyunwoo wasn’t down there,” Jinyoung said, “it seemed odd but he wasn’t in the mess hall either.” He wasn’t sure how best to address the subject but to be direct.

“Of course he wasn’t,” Zhou responded. He didn’t seem to want to offer Jinyoung any information, nor did he seem surprised that Hyunwoo wasn’t where he was meant to be. He knew something. “Leave now, you should not be up here without my orders.” Jinyoung wasn’t going to leave without knowing what Zhou had done to his friends.

“Where is he?” Jinyoung asked, he was too valuable to die for insubordination. He did worry though because he knew his actions effected Mark and BamBam. He needed to back down before something went wrong. He reminded himself.

“You would disobey my orders?” Zhou asked bored. Jinyoung was irritated at him but he understood his place.

“Of course not sir I will take my leave,” Jinyoung bowed his head again and turned away. He began to walk towards the elevator when he heard a bellowing voice. 

“Too bad about the crash Bo my old friend,” the voice said, “you really shouldn’t have bet that. It’s crazy that you make your top drivers run two races a day much less throwing one into a third,” Jinyoung’s hearrate increased, “they simply cannot take the high speeds.”

Jinyoung clenched his fists and turned towards the screens, he was afraid of what he would see. He was afraid of the reality of what was there and what everything meant. The craft that had crashed was the colors of Zhou’s estate and the drivers name was small on one of the screens...

Shownu...

Hyunwoo’s whip name.

Tears filled his eyes as he saw rescue crews at the crash site woking hard to get the flames down. He could barely stand after the race he’d fought in, he couldn’t fathom racing in that condition yet Hyunwoo had... There was only one person responsible for Hyunwoo being out there.

“What did you do?” Jinyoung turned back to Zhou with anger. The man didn’t look amused.

“What was well within my right to enter any of my whips in any race,” Zhou said as he sipped his drink, unaffected by what he’d done, “all he had to do was finish, and I could have profited. It’s a pity he tried to win.”

“You bastard,” Jinyoung lunged at him without thinking. He realized what he’d just done and what it meant. He knew he was in trouble. Jinyoung was grabbed and pulled back by guards he knew had caught the commotion. There were always guards protecting the owners.

“Now now Jinyoung,” Zhou’s eyes darkened as he walked towards him. He was held firmly by larger men, “do you think you’re worth something since you’ve proven yourself to be a winner? Don’t test me. You are replaceable, you always have been.” Tears filled his eyes but he kept his anger. He needed to find out if Hyunwoo was okay. He wanted so badly for his friend to be okay.

“Defiance must be punished,” Zhou stepped forward and slapped his face hard. Jinyoung flinched as he raised his hand a second time.

_Where is Jinyoung?_

A voice in his head broke through his thoughts. His head hurt but it sounded like someone was looking for him, calling his name. The second hit was harder than the first and Jinyoung felt pain spike through his head at the hit.

“Lock him up below,” Zhou declared a sentence.

Jinyoung knew exactly what kind of punishment that was. He would not walk for the victory ceremony, he would not continue recovery and when the race came the next week he would not be ready.

More  
He didn’t care about that. As he was dragged away he watched the screen. He saw Hyunwoo on a stretcher. He wanted his friend to be okay, and he was frightened he wasn’t. Jinyoung also knew Zhou likely didn’t ask Hyunwoo to race, that was probably meant for Jinyoung. 

Hyunwoo always put himself on the line for Jinyoung and that left him feeling empty. The person lying there should have been him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter had a lot to introduce. 
> 
> Please do not hesitate to ask me questions about the world they are in. World building is tough and I am striving to find the best way to portray the culture they are in. It's not easy but I hope you'll bear with me.
> 
> In this chapter we also met Jaebum. I'm a sucker for the rivals trope and for enemies to lovers. They start here but things will rapidly change.
> 
> Thanks for reading, please comment to let me know what you think. This story is so fun for me to write so I hope you enjoy it. Comments help with inspiration and when there are none it’s easy for authors to get discouraged so please don’t forget to leave a comment.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading the beginnings of my JJ Project science fiction adventure. I began this on twitter but realized it was better for AO3 and would be easier to world build in this format.
> 
> Please comment and let me know what you think so far. Also leave Kudos, Bookmark and Subscribe. I am excited to being this journey here and I hope you love the world I've come up with.


End file.
